Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist maps to BLS occupations averaging about $115,403, with roughly 284,290 workers nationwide in those roles. Median in-state published tuition is about $5,250; common paths include Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians.
Key Statistics
Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist: what the data shows
Common questions about cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist degree?
A Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist program is classified under NCES CIP 51.1010 in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions field family (51.10).
A program that prepares individuals to perform analyses of the human genome and chromosomes for the research and diagnosis of genetic diseases and defects, in preparation for organ transplants, and in support of treatments for cancers and leukemias. Includes instruction in chromosome analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), molecular genetic techniques, cytotechnology, and photomicrography
IPEDS counted 23 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 51.10 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Blood Bank Technology Specialist (CIP 51.1001)
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist (CIP 51.1005)
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician (CIP 51.1004)
- Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist (CIP 51.1002)
- Hematology Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1003)
- Histologic Technician (CIP 51.1008)
- Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist (CIP 51.1007)
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1006)
- Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist (CIP 51.1009)
- Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician (CIP 51.1011)
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1012)
How long does it take to get a cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1010 in our file:
- 23 Bachelor's (65.7% of IPEDS total)—typically four years
- 12 Master's (34.3% of IPEDS total)—one to two years beyond a bachelor's
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What degree do you need?
For Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%). Bachelor's awards account for a majority of IPEDS completions for CIP 51.1010, but occupation data show multiple pathways.
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | — | — |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 72,190 | $95,830 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 43,640 | $39,270 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist degree worth it?
College Scorecard national medians for the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions bachelor's program family: median debt $10,250, median earnings $75,975 four years after enrollment. Debt-to-earnings proxy: 0.16.
About 2.3% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $5,250 and median net price is $12,190.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$5,250 Median In-State Public
$30,680 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist majors are, on average, $5,250 for in-state public colleges, and $30,680 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 73,371 |
| 2 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,146 |
| 3 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 4 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 5 | Miami Dade College | FL | 46,182 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Camino Community College District | CA | $1,144 |
| 2 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,146 |
| 3 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | $1,146 |
| 4 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $1,146 |
| 5 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $1,146 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico State University-Grants | NM | $68 |
| 2 | Infinity College | LA | $230 |
| 3 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | GA | $614 |
| 4 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | GA | $614 |
| 5 | Southern Regional Technical College | GA | $813 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist programs across institutions.
Where students complete this major (IPEDS)
Bachelor's-level completions (IPEDS Completions, award level 5) summed by institution state. State is taken from IPEDS Directory (HD2023) for each reporting institution.
Geographic concentration
The largest number of reported bachelor's completions for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist is in TX (23 completions). That state represents about 100.0% of U.S. bachelor's completions reported for this CIP in the IPEDS file we use.
Among states, the highest concentration relative to all bachelor's degrees awarded in-state is TX (0.01% of that state's bachelor's completions).
Top states by count of bachelor's completions for this CIP (IPEDS).
| State | Bachelor's completions (this CIP) | % of U.S. total (this CIP) | % of state's all bachelor's |
|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 23 | 100.0% | 0.01% |
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 51.10 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Blood Bank Technology Specialist CIP 51.1001
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist CIP 51.1005
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician CIP 51.1004
- Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist CIP 51.1002
- Hematology Technology/Technician CIP 51.1003
- Histologic Technician CIP 51.1008
- Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist CIP 51.1007
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician CIP 51.1006
- Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist CIP 51.1009
- Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician CIP 51.1011
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician CIP 51.1012
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1010 in the survey year used in our extract (35 total across levels below).
- 23 Bachelor's (65.7% of IPEDS total)
- 12 Master's (34.3% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $115,403. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | — | — |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | — | — |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $128,110 | 72,190 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $88,062 | 136,390 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $188,333 | 75,710 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $53,312 | 43,640 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions CIP family (6 programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist graduate.
- $10,250 median federal loan debt among completers
- $75,975 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 0.16 debt-to-earnings ratio (Scorecard proxy)
- 2.3% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$124,935 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist majors is $124,935.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist majors.
Occupations by Share
284,290 2023 Workforce
The number of Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist.
Age distribution for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
23 Total Degrees Awarded
5 Male (21.74%)
18 Female (78.26%)
Gender distribution of Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
8 Asian (34.78%)
6 White (26.09%)
4 Hispanic or Latino (17.39%)
4 Black or African American (17.39%)
1 Two or More Races (4.35%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals to perform analyses of the human genome and chromosomes for the research and diagnosis of genetic diseases and defects, in preparation for organ transplants, and in support of treatments for cancers and leukemias. Includes instruction in chromosome analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), molecular genetic techniques, cytotechnology, and photomicrography
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist.
CIP Code
51.1010 - Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist
What the data shows
At the program-family level, College Scorecard reports median debt of $10,250 for bachelor's completers and median earnings near $75,975, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.16. Those figures describe national program cohorts in this CIP family—not every individual Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist graduate.
Women earned 80.0% of 35 Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $115,403. The largest mapped role by headcount is Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (N/A U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $5,250 in-state at public colleges and $30,680 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.